Lactose-Free Baked Cheesecake
Cheesecake is the one people mourn most after going dairy-light — it's a whole block of cream cheese, after all. This baked version uses lactose-free cream cheese and lactose-free sour cream so it's every bit as dense and tangy, with the lactose taken out of the equation.
A baked cheesecake is mostly cream cheese and sour cream — both fresh dairy that carry lactose. Reaching for the lactose-free versions of each keeps the classic dense, tangy result while taking the lactose right out.
What you'll need
- 250g plain sweet biscuits
- 120g butter, melted low lactose
- 750g lactose-free cream cheese, softened lactose-free
- 200g caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 200g lactose-free sour cream lactose-free
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
How to make it
Make the base. Heat oven to 160°C. Blitz the biscuits to crumbs, stir through the melted butter, then press firmly into the base of a lined 23cm springform tin. Chill while you make the filling.
Beat the filling. Beat the softened lactose-free cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice until just combined — don't overbeat.
Bake low and slow. Pour the filling over the base and smooth the top. Bake for about 55–65 minutes, until set around the edges but still with a slight wobble in the centre.
Cool gradually. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake cool inside for an hour — this prevents cracks. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Serve. Release from the tin and top with fresh berries or a fruit compote. Slice with a warm knife for clean edges.
Little tips that help
- Room-temperature cream cheese beats smoother — take it out an hour ahead.
- The slow cool-down in the oven is the trick to a crack-free top.
- It's a make-ahead dream: it actually tastes better the next day.